In general, writing instruments such as pens have a main body into which a cartridge with a writing tip is held in place such that a user may write with the writing instrument. For most writing instruments, the writing tip is held in substantially rigid relation to the rest of the instrument during writing. However, in some cases a cushioning element, such as a spring or other biasing element, holds the cartridge and thus the writing tip in the writing instrument in a non-rigid manner. The cushioning element allows the writing tip to be biased into the main body of the instrument when force is applied to the writing tip during writing. This provides a certain feel to the user during writing that many find desirable.
The use of cushioning elements has been well known in the prior art. For instance, spring elements have been used to provide cushioning to the writing tip. Other elements, such as foam inserts, can also be found in the prior art. However, all of the cushioning elements in the prior art are elements separate from the rest of the writing instrument. Thus, the separately formed cushioning element must be attached or coupled to the other parts of the writing instrument, increasing the complexity of manufacturing and/or assembling of the writing instrument. Also, the addition of another element to the writing instrument increases the likelihood of some failure in the attachment of the elements of the writing instrument to each other, reducing the overall reliability of the writing instrument.
Thus, there remains a need for a writing instrument with a cushioning element for the writing tip that is formed for ready assembly with the writing instrument and that is easy to manufacture.
In addition, resilient elements may be prone to wear or to reduced efficacy upon repeated usage or upon overuse or abuse. For instance, a cushioning element for writing tip of a writing instrument may lose its resiliency after repeated use over over-compression. If used in excess, or abused, the cushioning element can flatten out or take a set or otherwise lose efficacy. It therefore would be desirable to reduce such risk of loss of efficacy of a cushioning element.